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Paul Ashton's avatar

It’ll be a while before I change my masking habits. Watching on TV the overwhelmingly maskless crowd at the UConn men’s game last night didn’t make me optimistic. Add to that the coach, who contracted Covid himself, complaining about turnout and Courant columnist Don Amore writing an entire article about the coach’s complaints without once mentioning Covid or masking. It’s become cliche that “we may be done with Covid but Covid’s not done with us”. The hardcore cultists combined with everybody else’s fatigue seems to be setting us adrift in denial. I get that we have to learn to live with Covid. I don’t get ignoring it.

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Susan Campbell's avatar

It's exhausting, actually. I am still avoiding places I suspect will be peopled by yahoos who will be maskless because I'd prefer to stay as healthy as I can. I saw that article and saw the complaints. Might be worth wondering about: How many people are avoiding these gatherings to avoid the virus?

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Sharon Foster (CT)'s avatar

I miss going to the movies, but I know as soon as the lights go down other people are going to be taking off their masks. No thanks. I've got plenty to watch at home. Last night I ate out for the first time in a month. It's a small place, and I think they'd taken out a couple more tables since I was last there. I think we were the only people eating in, everything else was takeout business. So I felt pretty safe there. I'm determined to survive this. I can't let my 94yo mother outlive me.

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Susan Campbell's avatar

That's a powerful motivator.

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Tim Sullivan's avatar

Solid motivation !

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Christopher Tracy's avatar

I want every Executive Officer and Legislator who began the 2022 Session today to go to the blackboard and write:

• we may be done with Covid but Covid’s not done with us,

• we may be done with Covid but Covid’s not done with us,

• we may be done with Covid but Covid’s not done with us,

• we may be done with Covid but Covid’s not done with us,

• we may be done with Covid but Covid’s not done with us,

• we may be done with Covid but Covid’s not done with us,

• we may be done with Covid but Covid’s not done with us,

• we may be done with Covid but Covid’s not done with us,

• we may be done with Covid but Covid’s not done with us,

• we may be done with Covid but Covid’s not done with us,

• we may be done with Covid but Covid’s not done with us,

• we may be done with Covid but Covid’s not done with us,

• we may be done with Covid but Covid’s not done with us,

• we may be done with Covid but Covid’s not done with us,

• we may be done with Covid but Covid’s not done with us,

• we may be done with Covid but Covid’s not done with us,

• we may be done with Covid but Covid’s not done with us,

• we may be done with Covid but Covid’s not done with us,

• we may be done with Covid but Covid’s not done with us,

• we may be done with Covid but Covid’s not done with us,

• we may be done with Covid but Covid’s not done with us,

• we may be done with Covid but Covid’s not done with us,

• we may be done with Covid but Covid’s not done with us,

• we may be done with Covid but Covid’s not done with us,

• we may be done with Covid but Covid’s not done with us,

• we may be done with Covid but Covid’s not done with us,

• we may be done with Covid but Covid’s not done with us,

• we may be done with Covid but Covid’s not done with us,

• we may be done with Covid but Covid’s not done with us,

• we may be done with Covid but Covid’s not done with us,

• we may be done with Covid but Covid’s not done with us,

• we may be done with Covid but Covid’s not done with us,

• we may be done with Covid but Covid’s not done with us,

• we may be done with Covid but Covid’s not done with us,

• we may be done with Covid but Covid’s not done with us,

• we may be done with Covid but Covid’s not done with us,

• we may be done with Covid but Covid’s not done with us,

• we may be done with Covid but Covid’s not done with us,

• we may be done with Covid but Covid’s not done with us,

• we may be done with Covid but Covid’s not done with us,

• we may be done with Covid but Covid’s not done with us,

• we may be done with Covid but Covid’s not done with us,

• we may be done with Covid but Covid’s not done with us,

• we may be done with Covid but Covid’s not done with us,

• we may be done with Covid but Covid’s not done with us,

• we may be done with Covid but Covid’s not done with us,

• we may be done with Covid but Covid’s not done with us,

• we may be done with Covid but Covid’s not done with us,

• we may be done with Covid but Covid’s not done with us,

• we may be done with Covid but Covid’s not done with us,

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Sam Sherman's avatar

No, you're precious but not too precious. We'll wind up seeing cases rise again. (It may not be a big surge, but it will be like after all the holidays throughout the pandemic.) Elected officials don't like the "optics" of the government telling people what to do, so they'll kick the decision back to schools and businesses rather than take the responsibility and the heat. I don't think mandates, especially for schools and daycare centers, should be lifted until after the vaccine is available for children of all ages. This is just the latest example of our impatience--the finish line is in sight so let's start celebrating our victory, and oops...

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Susan Campbell's avatar

This seems exactly that -- our governor bowing to the loud (but smallish) anti-science crowd. We'll all pay for this.

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Bill Yousman's avatar

He gave in to the whiners and complainers. I saw Dr. Peter Hotez on the news this morning. He is one of my go to reliable sources. He thinks we are rushing this again. He says the next two weeks can go in two ways: Either a continuing plunge in cases or still another surge as the latest even more infectious variant takes off. He thinks we should still be cautious. That makes sense to me. In my personal and professional lives I am dealing with people who want to act like this is over. I get the fatigue but this is not over.

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Susan Campbell's avatar

That's what it feels like. He gave oxygen to stupid people.

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Tim Sullivan's avatar

Maybe we could let science and data decide our course of action, rather than politicians that are proven incapable of advanced thinking?

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Jac's avatar

I think you're right.

Now, instead of arguing about masks in one place (at the state level), there will be hundreds of arguments about it in school board meetings across the state. What really bothers me is, the arguments are almost always between people not educated in public health or epidemiology. Sadly, because how we respond to the pandemic has become so politicized, the expert advice is often lost. Isn't ironic? The educational system is listening to the uneducated?

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Susan Campbell's avatar

The ones who know the least argue the loudest. It's a debate tactic that has worked for them. I think, as someone else has said already, that BoE meetings are about to get real(er).

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Jac's avatar

And that's on top of already being real(er). A guy was punched to the ground in one of ours recently. People on the BoE are already being bullied on other things. I applaud those serving in Town Councils & BoEs and doing the right thing despite the vitrol directed at them.

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Susan Campbell's avatar

So just imagine what license this will give the True Idiots.

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Jac's avatar

"Liking" what you said feels wrong. You are exactly right.

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Joan Sheehan's avatar

I hate that the politicians are bowing down to the ignoramuses. I understand that the numbers are going down but the children are still unvaccinated for the most part. I say wait for that to happen, especially in schools.

I was at the basketball game last night in my N95 mask. I looked around as I always do to see how many were masked and the numbers are falling. Less than half were wearing masks even though this time they actually said to wear them twice. I think people buy a beverage and hold it just to keep their mask off. It disgusts me.

My daughter is a teacher in CA and their numbers are similar to ours. So many teachers are sick or have left that the ones who are there have to substitute during their planning periods. Such high burnout is hurting them and our schools. Why doesn’t anyone think of them and how that harms kids in the long run?

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Vinny Camire's avatar

I believe that you are right, and we should all mask up to protect the most vulnerable among us. But there is a part of me that wants to unmask and let the virus run rampant among the unvaccinated Trump cultists and Republicans, thereby cleaning up the gene pool somewhat. But, dammit, my conscience won't let me.

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Susan Campbell's avatar

Come sit by me.

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Mary Ann Dimand's avatar

Our county dropped its mask mandate as of Monday. My son continues to were his, bless him. He said that on Monday only about fifty percent of his colleagues were masked. Yesterday, 40.

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Susan Campbell's avatar

Wow. Good on your son.

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Mary Ann Dimand's avatar

I'll tell him you said so: he'll be chuffed. :)

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Charlene L. Edge's avatar

Down here in the Sunshine state, I continue masking up when out and about. Not ready to fling it off. Too many unvaccinated, too many unmasked running around. Although I'm boostered, I'm not keen on joining the ranks of break-through cases with chance of becoming a Covid long-hauler. But that's just me. And in some cases, literally that's just me. For instance, when I'm in the P.O., there's me, the only customer masked-up. Keep in mind who our governor is ...

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Susan Campbell's avatar

DeSatan? What an extreme crop failure is ol' Ron. Stay strong.

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Charlene L. Edge's avatar

:-)

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Sharon Foster (CT)'s avatar

I'm so glad I don't have kids in school and don't have to make life or death decisions for them every day. I will continue to wear a facemask in indoor pubic spaces. As I did last night when I went to my favorite local eating establishment for the first time in a month. Except when I was actually eating, I kept my mask on. Masks, plural, because I'm doubling up.

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Susan Campbell's avatar

I've thought that so many times, that I'm glad I'm not a parent right now and have to make all these tough choices, from when is old enough to get a cell phone to what are they watching on YouTube to this. I appreciate parents, a lot.

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Rich Colbert's avatar

Here in our SC winter residence we wear our masks when out and about. Speaking of the CT Greek Choir, read the article in The Day where Colchester parents directed racial slurs at the Ledyard H.S. Girls basketball team! Trumpism at its’ worst!

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Susan Campbell's avatar

You'd like a well-educated state like CT would root out its uglier parts -- or at least educate its uglier parts. But no.

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Tim Sullivan's avatar

I wonder how they would react to a legitimate political discourse with some angry fathers ?

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Christopher Tracy's avatar

Of course you are: you believe that life is precious. Ned caved to the Restaurant lobbyists long ago (I have that on extremely good authority), and his abdication to the 169 Mayors & First Selectman has proven him to be the coward I’ve always found him to be (not to pull any punches, and not to mention the platinum spooned heir to JP Morgan’s silent - his SILENT - partner.)

The simple pictogram of one man urinating on another’s bare leg, then on his clothed leg, then in his own pants remains accurate, and now that children are being hospitalized by this “mild” but virulent variant I’m still waiting on hard evidence (as distinct from hard cash) to recommend doffing masks.

Time - Distance - SHIELDING remain my watchwords until proven otherwise, and you can call me precious and cast Gabourey Sidibe to play me in the film - I should be so lucky.

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Jac's avatar

Since the anti-mask crowd favor being more comfortable over protection of other more vulnerable people, would they be ok if during a surgical procedure their medical team refused to wear masks? After all, the masks don't protect the medical team, it just protects the patient from infection.

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Feb 9, 2022
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Susan Campbell's avatar

Same. KN95, all the way.

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